Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Asia (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/)
-   -   Religious Tour (https://www.fodors.com/community/asia/religious-tour-995010/)

ThomasCarmen Oct 14th, 2013 10:22 AM

Religious Tour
 
After taking Bhutan tour, I was interested to visit Tibet as well. But due to my tight schedule, couldn't do Tibet Tour. Could any body provide me with the details of guide in Tibet who speaks english.

temppeternh Oct 14th, 2013 12:02 PM

You cannot travel to Tibet except on an organised tour, or as part of a locally booked group of people with the same nationality as yourself, typically organised in Chengdu. You will not be allowed in from Nepal, even if you already possess a Chinese visa, unless part of an official tour group. if you take an organised tour don't expect to be told anything about Tibetan Buddhism that you'd actually want to hear.

jkdslak Oct 15th, 2013 12:20 AM

agree with upstairs. aliens must be accompany by guide in Tibet.

Kathie Oct 15th, 2013 05:23 AM

Do you want to see Tibet or do you want to visit a place where Tibetan Buddhism is intact?

karenclang Oct 15th, 2013 06:57 AM

You can travel to eastern Tibet (Amdo and Kham) without an organized tour and take local transportation. You will need a Chinese visa and likely the help of a local agency in Xining (Snowlion, Tibetan Connections) to help you find a guide. Travel to central Tibet requires in addition that you have a Tibet permit (only a travel agency can get this for you) and that you book an organized tour with a guide and driver. The requirement that you be part of a group tour of same nationality was dropped in April 2013. You can be a "group of one. "

I've traveled in Bhutan, Nepal, Mongolia, and Eastern Tibet and found conversations with nuns and monks much freer in all those places than in central Tibet. But the tibetan guide we had in central Tibet was candid, knowledgeable about Tibetan Buddhism and not following any official party line. The guide isn't with you 24/7 and I also spent time visiting smaller temples in Lhasa with a tibetan speaking friend.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:12 AM.